Chauncey major divide in candidates’ views

IOWA CITY - While the eight candidates for Iowa City Council share fairly similar opinions on many of the issues facing their city, one topic in particular seems to provoke the most disagreement - the Chauncey and the council's use of tax increment financing (TIF) to fund such private projects.

This year's candidates break down essentially into two camps over the highly debated Chauncey - a $49 million, 15-story tower that saw more than two years of public deliberation before its June approval - those in favor of the city's decision to provide $14.2 million - nearly $12.1 million in TIF money - in financial assistance to the project, and those who disagreed with that investment.

When the dust clears after the Nov. 3 election, the majority opinion on such projects among Iowa City's council - which approved the Chauncey 4-2, with Michelle Payne abstaining - could be significantly different than it has been. And that could mean a potential shift in Iowa City's trend of large-scale development.

At a recent environmental-issues candidate forum, the topic divided the seven candidates present. Incumbent Payne was absent.

Among Iowa City's at-large candidates, Tim Conroy has supported the Chauncey, while Rockne Cole and incumbent Jim Throgmorton have been critical of the council's financial assistance toward the project.

'I still believe it was the correct decision for the site,” Conroy said, adding that he thinks all TIF projects should be judged on a case-by-case basis. 'As far as the future of the Chauncey, I'm going to be an optimist about what that's going to add to the community as a whole.”

Throgmorton, who was one of two council members who voted against the Chauncey, questioned not only the process in which the Chauncey was vetted, but also the building's overall value to the community.

'We did not have a chance to deliberate in public in a way that would assure the public that we really had done our work,” he said. 'The process matters largely in terms of public perception and the feeling that members of the public have that their views are being legitimately considered (and) taken into account by the council.”

In District C, Scott McDonough supported the project, but questioned the manner in which financial assistance was provided.

'I do like the Chauncey project,” he said. 'One thing I don't like about the TIF part of it is the money up front. I would rather see that a reward at the end.”

McDonough's challenger, John Thomas, voted against the Chauncey rezoning in April when he was on the Planning and Zoning Commission.

'Iowa City has a lot of land on which it can develop,” Thomas said. 'There is no reason to go into high-rise development.

In District A, Pauline Taylor, who also questioned the use of TIF to help fund the building, is running against incumbent Rick Dobyns, who voted for the Chauncey.

'I believe there is an appropriate use of TIF, (and) I'll go on the record to say I don't necessarily believe the Chauncey tower was appropriate,” Taylor said.

She noted a developer's financial resources should come into play more when debating financial aid from the city.

Dobyns, one of the first council members to review the several proposals received for the site on Gilbert and College streets, defended the Chauncey decision.

'I thought, in weighing all the options, that this was overwhelmingly the best option that we had,” he said.

Fellow incumbent Payne has abstained from Chauncey votes, but in The Gazette's questionnaire she said that while she isn't a proponent of TIF, she does believe it is a useful development tool, especially when that project cannot proceed without the financial aid.

The Chauncey's four-year construction period could start next spring, with the city offering short-term construction financing at first, followed by a 25-year TIF revenue bond.